How to Prevent or Manage Diabetes
by Ashleigh Feltham,  Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist.

Are you concerned about developing diabetes, or have you been diagnosed with diabetes? You are not alone. Almost 1.9 million Australians are currently living with diabetes. It is the 7^th most common cause of death in Australia. There are lifestyle factors that you can implement to help prevent and manage this disease.

Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented and is an autoimmune disease. The body attacks its insulin-producing cells, called beta cells, which are found in your pancreas. As a result, the body cannot take in sugar from the blood into the cells.

In contrast, another type of diabetes called type 2 diabetes happens when you develop a certain level of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when your body decreases its ability to respond to insulin. After insulin resistance increases to a certain level, you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Your genetics do influence your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. There is good news, though, as this type of diabetes can largely be prevented through your lifestyle choices. If you do have diabetes, your lifestyle choices also matter to reduce your risk of developing complications from this condition. One of these lifestyle factors is your diet choices

Your diet plays a key role in managing your blood sugar levels to stay within your target ranges in the short term, such as a single meal, and the long term, such as over three months. A measure of this period of time can be testing your HbA1c, which measures the amount of sugar attached to the red blood cells in your body. It can measure how much glucose stays in your blood over a longer period.

Your diet also plays a vital role in protecting your heart and blood vessels. Your diet, specifically your choices of fat and carbohydrates, significantly influences the ratio of different cholesterol types in your blood. Your diet also plays a significant role in helping your blood pressure stay within a healthy range. Including a variety of plant-based foods that are good potassium sources will help lower your blood pressure. Also, limiting added salt in your diet can lower blood pressure.

Understanding your individual food-group needs and how to structure your diet to achieve these needs is crucial. If you’re unsure about your needs, seek support from an Accredited Practising Dietitian. They can help tailor a way of eating that not only meets your individual needs but also allows you to enjoy your food.

Diabetes remission, a hot topic in the media, is a possibility. It’s generally thought of as being able to maintain hemoglobin A1c (HbAc1) levels below a certain threshold without any antidiabetic therapy. Weight loss and the ability to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is a critical factor. The ability to sustain this remission is still being investigated, but the potential for long-term maintenance is a hopeful area of research.

A low-carbohydrate diet is a common strategy for improving blood sugar levels. A standard low-carbohydrate diet (excluding the ketogenic diet) includes around 50-130g of carbohydrates a day. This can be an effective but restrictive type of eating, and being able to follow this diet in the long term can be a limiting factor to its ongoing sustainability.

Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels doesn’t necessarily mean following a low-carbohydrate diet. Including enough protein, dietary fibre and healthy fats can promote a slower release of sugar from your blood. It’s not about removing all carbohydrates from your diet but rather choosing the right types of grain foods and incorporating fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This balanced approach not only helps with healthy blood sugar levels but also promotes heart health.

Enjoying a greater variety of foods and a less restrictive eating pattern can also give your body more nutrients, promoting optimal health. These include vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants.

Take home message:

Your lifestyle choices matter. How you eat impacts your risk of developing diabetes and decreases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes complications.

References:

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